Soluble TAM Receptor Tyrosine Kinases Correlate with Disease Severity and Predict the Early Responsiveness of Sublingual Immunotherapy in Allergic Rhinitis

Figures & data

Table 1 Clinical Characteristics of Recruited Individuals Among the Three Groups

Variables	HC Group	MAR Group	MSAR	P value
Number	40	40	120
Male/ female	21/19	24/16	64/56
Age, years	29.0 (25.0, 33.0)	28.0 (24.0, 32.0)	31.0 (26.0, 35.0)	0.734
BMI, kg/m^2	23.7 (22.5, 24.5)	24.1 (22.8, 24.7)	23.9 (22.7, 24.7)	0.834
Asthma, n (%)	0 (0)	12 (30.0)	32 (26.7)	0.001
Duration of disease, years		4.0 (2.0, 5.0)	3.0 (2.0, 4.0)	0.802
Polysensitization, n (%)		10 (25.0)	46 (38.3)	0.180
TNSS		3.0 (2.0, 4.0)	9.0 (7.0, 1.0)	<0.001
VAS		2.0 (1.0, 3.0)	7.0 (5.0, 8.0)	<0.001

Abbreviations: HC, health control; MAR, mild allergic rhinitis; MSAR, moderate-severe allergic rhinitis; BMI, body mass index; VAS, visual analogue scales; TNSS, total nasal symptoms score.

Figure 1 The baseline serum concentrations of TAM receptor tyrosine kinases in AR patients. In comparison to the HC group, the serum levels of AXL (A), TYRO3 (B), and MER (C) were decreased in the AR group. Similarly, the circulating levels of AXL (D), TYRO3 (E), and MER (F) were considerably reduced in the MAR group as compared to the HC group, with the most significant decline observed in the MSAR subgroup. *P<0.05,**P<0.01,***P<0.001.

Abbreviations: AR, allergic rhinitis; HC, healthy control; MAR, mild allergic rhinitis; MSAR, moderate-severe allergic rhinitis; ns, no significance.

Figure 2 Correlation of baseline serum TAM receptor tyrosine kinases levels with disease severity in AR patients. Serum TYRO3 and MER levels showed a negative correlation with TNSS (A-C) and VAS (D-F) scores.

Abbreviations: AR, allergic rhinitis; TNSS, total nasal symptom score; VAS, visual analog scale.

Figure 3 ROC curve analysis of serum AXL (A), TYRO3 (B), and MER (C) as biomarkers to reflect disease severity in AR patients.

Abbreviations: ROC, receiver operating characteristic; AUC, the area under the curve.

Table 2 Comparisons of Baseline Clinical Characteristics Between the Two Groups

Variables	Effective Group	Ineffective Group	P value
Number	49	31
Male/ female	29/20	17/14	0.817
Age, years	29.0 (24.0, 33.0)	31.0 (26.0, 34.0)	0.302
BMI, kg/m^2	24.1 (23.2, 25.1)	23.6 (22.9, 24.8)	0.518
Asthma, n (%)	9 (18.4)	12 (38.7)	0.067
Duration of disease, years	4.0 (2.0, 5.0)	4.0 (3.0, 5.0)	0.894
Polysensitization, n (%)	17 (34.7)	12 (38.7)	0.813
VAS	9.0 (7.0, 10.0)	8.0 (7.0, 10.0)	0.486
TNSS	7.0 (5.0, 8.0)	7.0 (6.0, 8.0)	0.823

Abbreviations: BMI, body mass index; VAS, visual analogue scales; TNSS, total nasal symptoms score.

Figure 4 Baseline serum levels of TAM receptor tyrosine kinases in the two groups and predictive values of early efficacy of SLIT. Serum AXL9 (A) levels were no significant difference between the two groups. Serum TYRO3 (B) and (C) MER expression levels were significantly decreased in the effective group than in the ineffective group. ROC demonstrated the ability of serum AXL (D), TYRO3 (E), and MER (F) to predict early efficacy in SLIT. *P<0.05,***P<0.001.

Abbreviations: SLIT, sublingual immunotherapy; ns, no significance.

Figure 5 Serum TAM receptor tyrosine kinases concentrations in the effective and ineffective groups 1 year post-SLIT. Serum AXL (A) levels did not change significantly before and after treatment. Circulating TYRO3 (B) and MER (C) levels were increased after 1 year of SLIT than pre-SLIT levels. (D) In the effective group, serum AXL levels did not change significantly in pre-SLIT, but serum TYRO3 and MER (F) concentrations were significantly increased post-SLIT 1 year than pre-SLIT. Serum AXL, TYRO3, and MER levels were not significantly changed between post-SLIT 1 year and pre-SLIT (G–I). *P<0.05,***P<0.001.

Abbreviations: SLIT, sublingual immunotherapy; ns, no significance.